PARAMEDICS in Bolton are leaving the profession because they are stressed-out, it has been claimed.

A whistleblower says morale for North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) paramedics is so low that six have left jobs in Bolton in the last six months.

The frontline Bolton paramedic said a survey for NWAS’ Unison members – launched three months ago but still ongoing – found 85 per cent of staff were actively looking to leave or wanted to leave.

He said paramedics are being pushed to the limit – without the time to take breaks, or correctly carry out vital vehicle checks – because NWAS NHS Trust is understaffed.

The paramedic said: “I have never known six people leave in six months before. This used to be a career for life, and people did not leave until they retired.

“Over the last ten years, there has only been one year when the number of 999 calls has not risen but management has not increased the numbers of vehicles and paramedics to match the demand.

“We get less time to check our vehicles and equipment properly, and to take our meal breaks late if we get to take them at all.

“All these factors put together over the years have definitely increased stress on everybody.”

The whistleblower claims some paramedics have to drive up to two hours to get home after finishing 12-hour shifts because recruitment is region-wide.

He said medical technicians – who are not qualified to carry out the treatments paramedics can – can arrive at a scene by emergency response car and be waiting several hours before an ambulance with a paramedic on board arrives.

Trade union Unison claims long hours, staff shortages and the job’s mental demands is creating a “secret stress” epidemic among North West ambulance workers.

Newly-released figures from a survey of 153 ambulance workers reveal more than nine in ten (91 per cent) are suffering from stress.

Three quarters (74 per cent) said this was also causing them sleep problems, and almost three in five (58 per cent) said they were struggling with anxiety.

Amy Barringer, Unison North West’s head of health, said: “It is clear the pressure caused by government funding cuts is having a huge impact on staff and on patient safety.

“Year after year the levels of stress remain unacceptably high and yet neither employers nor the government have done anything to address this.”

But Lisa Ward, NWAS NHS Trust’s deputy director of organizational development, said the survey responses represented a “very small proportion” of frontline staff.

She said in the national NHS survey last year – based on much higher response rates – NWAS saw stress-related indicators and overall job satisfaction improve.

Ms Ward added: “The Trust takes the health and well-being of its staff very seriously and works closely with union colleagues to provide support and assistance to all of our staff.

“Traditionally ambulance services in England have always had a higher sickness level then other NHS trusts – particularly with cases of stress – due to the nature of the work frontline staff do, and NWAS is no different.

“Last year NWAS saw an increase in demand of six per cent compared to the previous year. Despite this, the percentage of staff working additional hours has decreased.”

Ms Ward said the trust had undertaken an internal health and wellbeing survey of all staff and was taking forward a number of recommendations as a result of this.

She said NWAS offered flexible working, regular breaks for staff, proper meal break policies and access to counselling for all employees.